is it worth it?

[Ryouken]

Re: is it worth it?

... So what was the topic of this thread again?

Back on topic, I'll admit that RMT can be pretty bothersome, especially when Christmas comes around, but besides that and the occasional RMT NM camp, they aren't that big a deal.

In fact, very little of my gaming experience in FFXI so far has been affected by RMT. Again, I'll state that they can be bothersome, but the majority of your gameplay will usually be RMT free.

As for gameplay, it's very time consuming, you will probably find yourself playing 3-5 hours a day just to advance one level (especially in Valkrum), but the reward (in my opinion) is well worth it.

Linkshells are very fun, and if your lucky like me, you can get into an awesome LS that contains both newbie and veteran players who are always willing to help out.

As for endgame content? I can't comment, I'm nowhere near endgame as it is (havn't even gotten my first job to lvl75), so that's a question better answered by the veteran players here.

Hope my advice helps

[Grizzlebeard]

Re: is it worth it?

To the OP, I wouldn't bother picking the game up to be honest. FFXI is relatively good looking but it's gameplay is old, unfriendly, and uninspiring compared to many new games out now and on the horizon. If you start on a new server as an unknown player you're going to find it a constant chore achieving anything post 30 while being faced with gear elitism restricting your party invites coupled with rampant and blatant RMT making farming for money for that new gear a total nightmare. Granted, you could just buy gil like a huge percentage of the playerbase.

Pick a newer game, one that hasn't been around so long and isn't so messed up by the playerbase. While people will translate this as sour grapes or some such with FFXI I equally would warn you away from a long established game like Everquest, even though, technically, it is a far superior game it is now seven years old and very hard to start as a total newbie in. Maybe look out for a few of the new titles scheduled for release such as Vanguard, Age of Conan, or Tabula Rasa.

No direct reference made to the game of three letters either.

[Icemage]

Re: is it worth it?

I don't really consider FFXI's core gameplay to be necessarily inferior to that of other current or upcoming MMORPG titles. It does have its weaknesses, but it has good qualities that have maintained its playerbase as well.

Pro:
Reasonable game balance: Yes, there are still many issues, but they're relatively minor on the grand scheme of things when you view what sorts of balance problems exist in other MMORPGs).

Good combat system: Weapons make sense, magic mostly makes sense. There isn't just one "preferred weapon", nor one single preferred attack style.

Multilingual: You can play with players from around the world, and even communicate with people who don't speak your native language, due to the auto-translation function.

No need to level alternate characters: The job switching system in FFXI allows you to level any/every job you choose on a single character.

Good community: FFXI requires more social interaction between players than any other major MMORPG on the market. This tends to forge good connections between players who have no choice but to cooperate to complete objectives, and turns less socially adaptable players away from the game.

Cons:

Real Money Trade: Obviously an issue due to their impact on the economy, RMTs (both buyers and sellers) distort the economy and make it harder to both earn and spend money in FFXI.

Bots/mild hacks: There are a fair number of people who refuse to obey the terms of service and use 3rd party tools to unfairly improve their performance. Heavily abusive hacks get spanked by Square-Enix, but there are some passive hacks which are basically undetectable and yet provide a tangible benefit to those who decide to cheat.

Income: It's not hard to "get by" in FFXI since inflation seems to spread universally fairly quickly in such a closed economy, but high end items tend to inflate faster, putting them effectively out of the reach of many players without spending large amounts of time accumulating resources.

Limited technology: Due to the presence and support for PlayStation2 users, the overall features of the game are limited by the baseline technology provided by the PS2 platform. Even though the other platforms have more juice under the hood, the game cannot take much advantage of them because it would leave PS2 players at a disadvantage.

Grinding: Character development in FFXI is slow and time consuming. Many tasks in the game are time-sinks and annoying.

Co-dependence: Same issue with good community, but the dark side of being forced to accomplish goals is that you often need to schedule events with other players well in advance, and that can be a hassle if you don't have a large support group.

Calling FFXI's gameplay "old, uninspiring and unfriendly" is not a fair statement.


Icemage

[Grizzlebeard]

Re: is it worth it?

Calling FFXI's gameplay "old, uninspiring and unfriendly" is not a fair statement.

If FFXI is your first MMoG you may never feel this way. However, if you've played one or two other MMoGs and have a basis for comparison then yes, your view will likely be very different. Of the thirty of so friends I came to FFXI with from EQ all of them left within a month or two. These were hardcore gamers, people used to investing stupid amounts of time in games to be the best. We were unlocking the advanced jobs in the second week of NA launch and experimenting with the TP gain from different weapons while most people were still wondering why the Japanese players were MPK'ing them or steamrolling over them at xp spots in the Dunes. FFXI wasn't too hard for them, it just plain underwhelmed them. Many people I've tried to entice to FFXI over the years from EQ, WoW, or other MMoGs have either said a big no thanks to it based on reputation or have bought the game and quit within a week to a month.

[Aeni]

Re: is it worth it?

Many people I've tried to entice to FFXI over the years from EQ, WoW, or other MMoGs have either said a big no thanks to it based on reputation or have bought the game and quit within a week to a month.

Yeah, I encountered this as well. It's alarming actually. I've met very capable and friendly players in WOW and they've pretty much said the same thing. That they "heard" how FFXI was not that good or that they themselves tried it out and thought it wasn't for them. And it's not just one or two players here and there. I remember once being in Stormwind and someone /yell for no reason other than to shout that FFXI sucked or something and then there was an overwhelming response that supported that person's claim. It was totally unnerving.

After a while, you just get used to that negativity *shrugs*

[Raydeus]

Re: is it worth it?

If FFXI is your first MMoG you may never feel this way. However, if you've played one or two other MMoGs and have a basis for comparison then yes, your view will likely be very different. Of the thirty of so friends I came to FFXI with from EQ all of them left within a month or two. These were hardcore gamers, people used to investing stupid amounts of time in games to be the best. We were unlocking the advanced jobs in the second week of NA launch and experimenting with the TP gain from different weapons while most people were still wondering why the Japanese players were MPK'ing them or steamrolling over them at xp spots in the Dunes. FFXI wasn't too hard for them, it just plain underwhelmed them. Many people I've tried to entice to FFXI over the years from EQ, WoW, or other MMoGs have either said a big no thanks to it based on reputation or have bought the game and quit within a week to a month.

I gotta say don't have any problems with this.

This game isn't for everyone and that's a fact to me. The same way many people simply say "...this isn't for me" after playing XI I've said many times about other MMOGs. It's really a matter of taste in games (and I really enjoy the Japanese way of thinking when it comes to MMOGs).

I'm just happy this game has remained out of the mainstream, if it wasn't for RMT XI would be still a paradise for me (like it was 2 years ago).

[Icemage]

Re: is it worth it?

Oh, it's true that FFXI definitely doesn't have mass appeal. I would argue that it isn't designed to be "for everyone". Square-Enix has consistently targetted a specific type of player - they're happy to get more customers of course, but their design decisions always support team play and cooperation, which turns a lot of players off.

Personally, I like things this way. I don't think I'd enjoy FFXI nearly as much if it had as many loudmouth 13 year olds as are in other MMORPGs (and honestly speaking, it WASN'T enjoyable for the first wave of NA PC and PS2 releases).


Icemage

[valru]

Re: is it worth it?

If FFXI is your first MMoG you may never feel this way. However, if you've played one or two other MMoGs and have a basis for comparison then yes, your view will likely be very different. Of the thirty of so friends I came to FFXI with from EQ all of them left within a month or two. These were hardcore gamers, people used to investing stupid amounts of time in games to be the best. We were unlocking the advanced jobs in the second week of NA launch and experimenting with the TP gain from different weapons while most people were still wondering why the Japanese players were MPK'ing them or steamrolling over them at xp spots in the Dunes. FFXI wasn't too hard for them, it just plain underwhelmed them. Many people I've tried to entice to FFXI over the years from EQ, WoW, or other MMoGs have either said a big no thanks to it based on reputation or have bought the game and quit within a week to a month.

actually ffxi was not my first, i've played eq, ultima, ao, and everyother god damn mmo. FFXI gameplay is easily more complex than 99% of anyother mmo. people who constantly play wow, are not hardcore there addicted. FFXI is way more of a time sink than any mmo. EQ blah, I stopped after the 5th expansion pack.

[Soul Society]

Re: is it worth it?

thanks everyone

just one more question

is this the latest version? and is it include a new account ID and activation code?

http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-...8&s=videogames

[Icemage]

Re: is it worth it?

thanks everyone
just one more question
is this the latest version? and is it include a new account ID and activation code?
http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-...8&s=videogames

That's the latest expansion, but it does NOT include the original game software and activation codes that you need.

What you want is this:
http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-...925400?ie=UTF8

You'll still need the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion, but that can wait until later - there's really nothing in the latest expansion for new players until you're at LEAST level 30, if not higher, so waiting on ToAU is a good move (whereas getting ToAU without FFXI and previous expansions is a complete waste of time since you can't install it independently )


Icemage

[Legal Fish]

Re: is it worth it?

Games only get better as they update. If only I could have done half the things I could do now as a level 40. RMT? Get over it. If you can't find your own way around those type of problems, you don't deserve to play.